Mosaic Templars Cultural Center (MTCC), an agency of Arkansas Heritage, has announced that And the Beat Don’t Stop: 50 Years of Hip-Hop, the traveling exhibit from the National Hip-Hop Museum’s Pop Up Experience, will open as a free event on Thursday, April 7 at 5 p.m.
“We’re proud to have this nationally recognized exhibit in Arkansas,” says Stacy Hurst, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. “This collaboration with the National Hip-Hop Museum of Washington, D.C., brings 50 years of hip-hop together with fun and educational events that will run through our celebration of Juneteenth at Mosaic Templars.”
The grand opening will feature dueling DJs, a 360-degree photo booth, break dancing and light refreshments.
And The Beat Don’t Stop: 50 Years of Hip-Hop will run from April 7 to July 1, during which MTCC will present a series of special events based around the exhibit.
“This is a multi-generational experience,” says Jimmy Bryant, Arkansas Heritage Director. “There is something for everyone, from parents who remember their teens listening to this music to new parents who want to share it with their children.”
As programming is still in the planning phases, MTCC is looking for partners to help with the following events:
- April to June: Saturdays with the MCs — kid-friendly performances by local emcees.
- April: MTCC After Dark – an ongoing networking series, adult-only event that encourages attendees to sport their hip-hop-inspired sneakers.
- April: Chat and Chew – the museum’s hybrid lunchtime event featuring a music influencer.
- May: Custom Sneakers – a limited number of spaces available for adult class where attendees will learn to customize sneakers.
- May: Young Adult’s Rap 101 Workshop with the Arkansas Arts Council – a workshop for ages 7 to 13 that showcases poetry as rap.
- June: Juneteenth – a concert series will take place on the national holiday, a lineup of artists to be announced.
- June: Graffiti Artists in collaboration with the Arkansas Arts Council – guests can view a graffiti artist at work during the exhibition.
“While the music and the artifacts are a big draw, we always keep in mind that we are here to educate the community, and what a wonderful way to take some not-so-distant history and unpack it a bit and show the cultural connections to today,” says Quantia “Key” Fletcher, director of the museum. “For many of us, hip-hop has been part of our entire consciousness and has impacted our lives from music and fashion to art and culture. It has been the voice of the marginalized populations and offered a mic oftentimes in hallowed spaces.”
If interested in working with the museum on programming, contact Brian Rodgers, the Community Liaison, via email or by calling 501-683-3610. Events for the event will be posted on the Arkansas Heritage website or on the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center Facebook, once available. To schedule a group tour of the exhibit contact Mikahla Crawford, the Education Assistant via email or at 501-683-3610. For more information about The National Hip-Hop Museum, click here.
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